Birthday eve

Today was good.  Today was fun.  Tomorrow's gonna be another one.

Dr. Seuss

I'm one of those odd ducks that doesn't mind birthdays.  In my family, growing up we never made a big fuss of birthdays.  I remember having one party when I was in grade school, but otherwise, there was usually a cake.  Don't remember too many gifts.  But the day in itself is the gift.  Oh sure, there's pitfalls to growing older, but overall it's a blessing.  The alternative's rather boring, so bring them on!
But holy moly, I'm going to be 56 - where has the time gone???  So many memories, so many adventures and so many that I've forgotten about (conveniently?)!!  Maybe...

Ladde continues on the road to recovery.  He's off all pain meds and has no bandages on his feet, and he's on turn-out with the crew weather-permitting.  Lately it's been a day out, a day in, a day out and so on.  Yes, we're still raining.  *sigh*  We sleep with our bedroom window open because temps are in the 50's and down comforters are so warm.  I'm sort of hoping for a cold snap, frozen mud and blue skies, but we'll see how that goes.

Charlotte is now 7 months old and is almost as tall as Ruby.  She's long-legged and very slender, but a tall girl.  She's going in for her spaying surgery this coming Tuesday.  I pray it goes well and her recovery is smooth-sailing.  She's a very active girl, so we're hoping for the best.

Rick (boss man) took some action shots of her the other day with his new lens.  So many of my pictures of Charlotte are just a blur, but apparently the new lens is meant to capture action shots.  Guess it works!  I haven't been posting many pics here lately because of being photo-uploading challenged.  And my phone lost all the pics I've taken since the first week of December.  grrrrrr!!  It seems to "think" that the chip has been unloaded, and needs to be reloaded, which of course, it hasn't.  And there's a procedure to follow when taking the chip out or there's a danger of losing photos!  Really!?  Problem with that is - I didn't remove it.  I really kind of hate technology.  Anyway, no sense in crying over spilled milk...they're gone.  So, I'm thankful to have these...

She's a fun little dog.  Very interactive, wants to be in your business all the time.  All the time.  She's a watcher too, and I like that.  Annie always kept her eye on me, and I've been missing that.  Ruby's more like an adolescent girl who needs her space. Very protective of "her" private space and all that.  Two very different personalities, both good.  Both loved and appreciated.  How much more boring would life be without dogs in it?

Guess I'll never know...

Our "daughter from another mother" Jessie, lost her horse Monday to an ulcerated intestine - basically an internal hernia.  We thought we were dealing with an impaction colic as he wasn't ever very painful.  Just mildly uncomfortable for several days, and we didn't think he'd pooped.  The first vet examined him, wasn't very concerned, announced his vitals were all good, and to just watch him.  24 hours later, same vet called out and this time he was stomach-tubed with mineral oil and water, left a tube of banamine and said to watch him.  Rectal exam revealed no distension and a spongy impaction which she thought would pass within 24 hours time.  That was Sunday afternoon.  By Monday morning he was so distended that a rectal exam couldn't even be performed.  Jessie took him to OSU where they did an exploratory surgery and found the problem.  Grave prognosis, so Lil Buck was euthanized on the table.  Sad day for all.

Appreciate those in your lives that you love.  None of us is guaranteed anything.

Take care and for all you fellow Oregonians...take care not to float away.

It's all about the weather

If I were ever to envision myself in a "career" that involves one of the sciences, I'd likely pick meteorology.  Yeah, I find everything about our weather systems, patterns, atmosphere and all, just fascinating.  So did my dad.  Chalk up another one for following in dad's footsteps, or at least his personality traits.  :)

Anyway, we had the most fantastic weather last weekend!  Brisk temps, bright blue skies, nothing more than a gentle, occasional breeze and it was warm.  Just about perfect I'd say!  So, in celebration of our glorious weather, hubs and I took the dogs and went on walks both days.  Just beautiful, and super duper exciting for the pent-up poochies.  We actually had to pull over near our destination and let them out in a grass field to run some of that energy off.  They were yipping, howling and just about to burst with the anticipation of it all.  Plus they were digging holes in my hubby's legs.  Fair trade-off I'd say.

Good thing we did get out and enjoy it because since then...the rain has returned.  And in spades!!!  Good grief, we've been getting it in buckets.  The lakes have returned to our back yard and our pastures, the horses have been in the barn for the last 2 days and we have so much mud that wearing anything other than knee-high muck boots would be a disastrous mistake.  *sigh*

Oh well, can't complain because nothing I say, or do will have any kind of an impact.  Just best to go with the flow and make the best of what is.  I'm getting better at this.  Really I am.

In other areas, remember that I'd mentioned having my car repaired to the tune of almost a thousand dollars?  Well, while driving it home I noticed that the brakes felt funny.  Or the lack of brakes to be more specific.  Yep, my car now has no brakes.  I can pump, pump, pump and get back a little, but with foot pressure, the pedal just slowly goes to the floor.  It is absolutely unsafe to drive.  So, without having had anything checked out yet, my best guess is that the master cylinder is kapoot.  Before doing anything, we'll take it somewhere and have the entire braking system checked out just to be sure.  No sense in replacing something just to find out that's not the problem, or the only problem.  But we're likely looking at another $300-$500 repair bill.  Again.  My old car's seen better days for sure, but she's paid for, was totaled, bought back for peanuts, and then I pocketed a couple thousand dollars and has overall been a reliable car for about 8 years now.  It was my mom's car and I didn't even buy it initially, so as you can see, I shouldn't complain.  But still.  I am kind of complaining.  As I said earlier regarding the weather; when it rains, it pours.

We've been fortunate that our temps so far this winter have been overall, quite mild.  I say this because we've been heating our home with only our little kitchen wood stove.  The reason for this, is that our fans on the living room pellet stove have gone belly up.  Yep.  Both of them at once.  This will be the second time that we've had to replace those fans, but considering we've had the pellet stove for about 20 years, I guess that's not too bad.  Based on what we paid last time, we're likely looking at $350-$400 to replace the pair of them.  Ka-ching!!!  Yeah.  That's why we work...

As far as some good news, Ladde is doing much better.  If he blew an abscess, I haven't been able to find one, but the last few days we haven't had to soak and we just change the poultice and pads every third day now.  So thankful for that!!!  He's been off pain meds for a couple of weeks (?) give or take, my memory grows fuzzy, but he seems to be doing very well overall.  I called our farrier and we're hoping to get him trimmed real soon.  It's pushing 9 weeks since his last trim and those toes have gotten quite long.  He isn't growing excess heel as some foundered horses tend to do, but the hoof itself appears healthy and has good growth.  I've put it off just a bit because of, well you know the story.  I just hope this is IT for a good, long while!!  He's had company in the barn lately, but we're really looking forward to getting back to normal and turning all the horses out in the daytime.

My stocked up bedding that I bought early last fall, which was supposed to take us all the way through the winter, is almost gone.  Now I'm just hoping it lasts until the first of February when our local farm store has their big "farm days" winter sale, and hopefully puts those bedding pellets on a reduced price again.  I gotta catch a break somewhere, right?  :)  The hay supply is holding quite well though - so count blessings where and when we can.  As my granny used to say, "it could always be worse".  Truth.

Until next time my friends, stay warm, give thanks and God bless us.  Every one.

Lorie @ Cingspots

Moving right along

Again, it's been almost 3 weeks since I've posted.  Guess I just don't have much to say.  Some of you can stop laughing right about now...

Anyhoo, Christmas Eve was a delight.  I prepared a delicious dinner after having had the house to myself all day long.  I love those days!  Talk about a gift.  :)  One of my daughter's from another mother called out of the blue, and asked if we were going to be home.  She had a little something for us, and could they swing by?  I said of course, do you have any plans for Christmas Eve?  No was her reply.  So I invited Josh, Jessie and their two kiddos to dinner.  We enjoyed the evening so much more than we would have, had it just been the two of us.  Again.  It really was a beautiful evening. We ate, we talked, we laughed, we went out and fed carrots to the horses and it was great.  I even wrangled up some gifts and goodies were unwrapped.  Then afterwards, when the house was again all peaceful and quiet - we watched a very old version of A Christmas Carol.  Very nice.

Christmas afternoon we went to my sister's house.  It was the usual, same ole, same ole and I left there feeling a bit sad, disappointed and feeling like it was nothing special.  I say this every year, but I just don't want to spend next Christmas there.  *sigh*  I love my family, but I really don't like my family.  Sad huh?

The highlight of the evening, for me though, was getting to meet my great-great niece, Catori for the first time ever!  She was born on my birthday and will be turning 4 years old this coming January 21st.  She is adorable, doesn't speak, is extremely tiny for her age, and totally sweet!  I would take her on in a New York minute!!!  I won't even get into the details about her sad little life, but suffice it to say that it is not good.  Mother, and I use that term, very loosely, is a druggie, homeless, jobless and God only knows what all.  She has given up her other two children and lost another baby last year.  Forgive me  for saying so, but that was most likely, a blessing.  Catori doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of having a decent life.  I do not exaggerate.  Anyway, her mother dropped her off via an unlatched window before my niece's household was awake and left her.  No word, no note, nothing.  So, grandma has her for now and is also raising the middle child.  It's a sad, sad situation.  Like I said, I would take her and raise her if given the chance.  I've lightly gotten into this discussion with my niece (her grandmother), with not much of a response.  So, I leave it up to God.  I don't have any other choice in the matter.  It would be a drastic change to my life (our lives) having a little girl full-time, but never having had children of my own, I would do my best if given the chance.  She deserves so much more than what she's already endured.  I can't even imagine what her life's been like.  I don't really want to know.

In other areas of our life, Ladde was doing fairly well for a couple of weeks, but we're back to soaking and poulticing his front feet again.  *sigh*  He's already doing better, but without pads, he is sore, sore, sore.  Abscesses are a part of life for a horse that's foundered, but this is a bit excessive, at least in my experience.  I'm about to scream and I cannot even imagine how poor Ladde's feeling.  He is, as usual taking everything in stride.  He's been stalled more in the past 3 months than he has in his cumulative life so far.  And he just handles it with grace.  Such a trooper.

Our lives lately have revolved around working at our jobs, keeping the home fires burning, taking care of the horses and trying to get outside in the fresh air as often as we can.  Winter is a time of cabin fever if we're not careful, and that doesn't bode well for me, especially.  Our weather has been pretty good overall, ever since the monsoons of December stopped anyway.  Wettest December ever on record.  Christmas day was cold and we had sunshine.  Another gift.  Since then we've had some freezing temps and sunshine, some rain and last couple of days, cool and foggy.  We're supposed to get cold again and be dry for a week or so.  That's my favorite.

I'm happy the holidays are behind us for another year.  I enjoyed everything more this past season than I have in years, but it always feels good to go back to normal again.  I was even a little saddened to take the tree down.  I really loved our Christmas tree this year, for some reason.  I finally got my all white lights and it was just so peaceful and soothing to gaze upon.  Now it's in the backyard sporting bird seed and bread crumbs for the birds.  We're still getting pleasure from that little tree.

Anyway, dinner out with friends this weekend and nothing else on tap.  We're just playing it by ear.  Hope all is well with all of you.

As for resolutions, that's not something I've ever really done.  I like to pick a word that speaks to my heart, and keep it near and dear for as long as it's seems appropriate to do so.  Without thinking about it much, a word has been rattling around in my head for a while.  It seems fitting for some things I would like to accomplish in my future, so here goes..."courage".  That's my word and that's what I'd like to exhibit more of in the coming years.  If not now, when?

Courage

If you would, please wish me luck and send up a prayer on our behalf.  For several reasons.

Happy New Year to you all!